The invention relates to an electro-surgical radio-frequency instrument for coagulating and/or cutting tissue.
Such electro-surgical RF-instruments are often used for laparoscopic operations, where it is important that the working tip and the shaft should be formed as narrowly as possible. By changing the RF-voltage which energizes the electrodes, the operating mode of the RF-instrument can be switched between coagulating and cutting of the treated tissue.
Known monopolar instruments which follow customary medical instruments are usually hook-shaped or spatula-shaped, so that they are easy to operate and their handling is familiar to most surgeons. The bipolar instruments however usually have opposing movably journalled electrodes, with which in addition to the coagulating or the cutting, a clamping of the tissue can be effected.
Since the use of monopolar instruments, for example in the abdomen, involves safety risks for the patient and the surgeon, safety-conscious surgeons use only bipolar RF-instruments there.
The existing bipolar electro-surgical instruments however are complicated, costly, and sensitive, so that in comparison to the known monopolar instruments their use requires particular dexterity by the surgeon. Furthermore, most of the known bipolar instruments become soiled very quickly and are difficult to clean.